To cry that I've made a huge mistake with choice of Primary school

[Starbear]

We got the results today. We got accepted for our second choice which is a school near by. Our first choice was a CofE school as was our/my third but the third one looked crowded and our second a Catholic school wasn't larger class rooms etc library where the third had borrowed space for a library. I liked our second choice. When I applied DH went along with my decision. He has only now compared Sats results and our 2nd choice is below national average Now we didn't get 1st his angry and he going to appeal. I now feel its all my fault. I've come home late from work and he's gone down the pub and left me crying. Please make me feel better?

[Ceolas]

Starbear, we don't have an application process and we don't have SATs either.

The vast majority of children go to their local primary (most have the choice between Catholic and non-denominational).

[2rebecca]

I think the catholic option in scotland is a west coast thing/?city thing. I live in an east coast town and all our state schools are nondenominational. Agree kids just go to primary in their catchment area and no sats. Most kids go to local comp for secondary school unless going private.

[Ceolas]

There are Catholic schools in most large towns but they are less available the further north you go. There are Catholic primary/secondary schools in Dundee and primary schools in Aberdeen but afaik no secondary schools.

[LEMAGAIN]

Bloody Sats results!!!! what do they mean exactly??? I chose my dds school (a catholic one) based on my local knowledge as i know that its the best school in our catchmnent area by far. I didn't even have to look at the school, or the others to make my choice, but that is because i have lived here all my life, went to the school, have expereince of the other schools etc.

It really is about YOUR child, if you are a concientious parent and support your child through her school years then she will do the best she possibly can.

The Sats results might be lower due to the area maybe? I have always been led to understand that children educated in church schools tend to fair better. (please don't flame me, this is just what i have heard!)

[edd021208]

IME many people in the UK are anti-Catholic (just look at the laws around succession, guy fawke's celebrations in Lewes etc).
Maybe your dh might be against the school due to his own take on catholicism - does he know to what degree or in what way the catholicism informs the day to day experience of pupils? If its a generally christian being nice to your neighbour scenario then maybe he wouldn't mind so much?

[cory]

snorting very loudly at the thought of a teacher believing it would be any use to appeal against school allocations because another school has better SATS result

why does he think the LEA will think his son deserves this more than any other child?

let him appeal by all means

let him sit there in a little room with the LEA representatives and the school management and the appeals committee all pouring scorn at his assumption that his son has got to have special treatment and everybody else has to be inconvenienced because he's changed his mind

but you concentrate on making your ds's first years at school a happy and wonderful experience through your positive attitude

[examtaxi]

There is a school near me that gets excellent SATS results. This is because the majority of the children are tutored like mad (for the grammar school) from about year 2.

The school is really not that good - the head is useless.

Don't pin everything on SATS.

[cory]

and like examtaxi I am unconvinced that SATS results on their own are any sort of guarantee that your ds would have a good learning experience

if you liked the caring atmosphere that seems a far better point of departure than anything else I could think of

[examtaxi]

Things that are important IMO:

Happy, enthusiastic children

ditto teachers

ditto head teacher

sensible rules that are ENFORCED - eg a bullying policy that works

Lots of art work and examples of children's poetry etc on the walls

proper supervision in the playground

caring, responsible dinner ladies

SATS are at the bottom of the list.

[Starbear]

Thank you for your support. Dh is really a lovely man better than my Dad who could give a flying fig about my education. We have come up with a few solutions that we are really happy with. I spent a day out with the girls yesterday (pre planned) and came home to flowers, cuddles & more, so all's well in the Bear household

[edam]

Rubbish, many people in the UK are NOT anti-Catholic. The laws on succession to the throne discriminate against anyone who isn't born into the Royal Family and women who are. The whole point of a monarchy is that it's unfair!

Bonfire night celebrates an important aspect of British history, when a plot to blow up Parliament was foiled. Fact is it was a Catholic plot. If you want to object, you need to track down Dr Who and ask for a ride in the Tardis.

Laws of succession reflect that period of history, when for several hundred years Rome was constantly trying to overthrow the British state and impose a Catholic monarchy. Would be reasonable to change them now, given a few hundred years have passed and the current Pope isn't half so much trouble (although he does have a remarkably big gob).

[SecretSlattern]

We chose DD's school last year based on a viewing we had, Ofsted reports and SATS results. All looked great and we were pleased with the HT at the school so decided to go with it.

When she started in September we found out that the HT we had seen had retired and that the school was in special measures. My initial reaction was to pull DD out and look for something else. It was my fault as I didn't take into consideration the fact that the Ofsted reports I had looked at referred to 4 years+ ago.

However, she has almost completed her first 2 terms at the school. We decided to leave her there because she had made friends, and was doing well ie, she was learning to read at a rate of knots, could write and spell, was doing well with number work and she, ultimately enjoyed being there.

The school has just had its last monitoring visit and is no longer in special measures. Obviously we are pleased but as the new HT pointed out, a school in special measures with a dedicated team will only get better.

I think what I am trying to say, although the scenarios are different is that you may well be surprised with the school and what it has to offer. There's no harm seeing how it goes but obviously appeal if you feel strongly enough.

As for your DH, I am a bit surprised that it was your decision, rather than a joint one. I knew in my head where I wanted DD to go, but DH had to sign the application too and had he not been happy with the choices we made, he would not have signed. I think its a bit much of your DH copping the needle because you made a decision that he now doesn't agree with. Does he not realise it is a bit late to be checking results and stuff once the application has been made?

[Starbear]

SecretSlattern It was a joint decision, but I think I bamboozled DH with all the Saints. I a strongly opinionated woman and gave strong reasons for my choices, he trusts me as well. Then when it came to crunch, it a bit of a shock to him. Anyway we've come to some solutions that I'm very happy with and to a lesser degree so is DH. If he ever had the time he would be on Dadsnet saying what a pushy wife he has and she was about to destroy the education of his DS. He is a lovely man just wants the best for his child which I admire.